Apple today unveiled an updated version of its smallest smartphone, the iPhone SE.
Upgrades are largely internal. There's the A15 chip you'll find on the iPhone 13 lineup, a 6-core CPU that's 1.8x faster than the iPhone 8, the phone on which the 2020 SE is modeled. It powers an upgraded camera system with a 12MP ƒ/1.8 aperture Wide camera with Smart HDR 4, Photographic Styles, Deep Fusion, and Portrait mode.
The 2022 iPhone SE supports 5G (though not the fastest version) and runs iOS 15.
Like earlier iPhone SE models, the newest one retains the Home button and Touch ID. There's a 4.7-inch display, a glass front and back similar to the iPhone 13, and IP67 protection.
Apple promises a longer battery life than previous models, but didn't elaborate. (In our tests, we found the iPhone 13 to be a "battery life beast.") The new iPhone SE supports the Qi standard for wireless and fast charging.
Pre-orders for the new iPhone SE start on Friday, March 11, and it arrives in stores on Friday, March 18, starting at $429. Get it in three colors—midnight, starlight, and Product(RED)—and storage configurations: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.
During Tuesday's unveiling, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone SE is intended for those who want a smaller phone for a great value. The SE line has been particularly popular with new iPhone users, he said, who may not want to spend $1,000+ on a smartphone out of the gate.
For those who want something a little more premium, Apple today also unveiled two new color options for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13, alpine green and green, respectively. What's the difference? You be the judge.